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Preparing For Total Hip Replacement

Posted , 6 users are following.

missfifi
missfifi

Good Morning Forum Members.

?I have osteoarthritis in left hip and have deteriorated to the stage where my ortho consultant has advised me that I need surgery urgently i.e. probably within the next 2-3 weeks.  I have been told that I will have the option of choosing a general anaesthetic or a spinal one but I still have a little time in which to decide.  My initial thought was that I would prefer a general anaesthetic as I wanted to be completely "out" and not know anything.  I understand  that there are advantages/disadvantages to both.  Incidentally, I am pretty nervous about the prospect of the whole surgery process!  I would be very grateful if any members have any useful comments to make, perhaps from their own experience, with regards to the anaesthesia side or experience of THR generally.  Thank you so much.

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • sukes
    sukes missfifi

    Posted

    Hello missfifi,

    I've had operations on both feet with a spinal anaesthetic for one and a general for the other.  I will have to have a hip replacement in the not too distant future and will definitely go for the general rather than spinal. 

    With the spinal method, I did not have the effects that a general leaves, but I had no feeling at all in my legs so was not able to stand for about 2 hours.

    There are risks with both methods, but with the spinal, because you are awake, you can hear what is going on and I found this quite stressful.  My foot operation didn't take long, around 20 minutes, but a hip replacement takes, I believe, around 90 minutes.   Good luck with your operation, it will be wonderful to be free of pain again.  smile

  • loxie
    loxie missfifi

    Posted

    I had a general when I had to have major repairs to my ankle following an accident.  I woke up fully cognisant and other than general tendency to nod off during the next few days had no ill effects.  I then had a spinal a year later for them to do some repairs to the metalwork in the leg.   Horrible experience, firstly it hurt like hell to actually have the injection needed - and I mean like hell! Then I had a bad reaction to the pre-med.  I fell asleep just towards the end of the surgery and woke up in bed in the ward with no bladder control - ie wet bed and no way to move to deal with it as was still paralysed from waist down.  Then had major breathing problems - was told this again was probably a reaction to the pre-med rather than the epidural. Took me days to get proper co-ordination back into my lower body.  Horrible experience all round.  Dont care what the advice is, any further surgery I will insist on general anaesthesia.
  • amkoffee
    amkoffee missfifi

    Posted

    I have to agree with Sukes. Even though I've never had an operation on my hip I have been awake for a couple of different procedures and I find the noise and the smell very disturbing. You will also have a curtain that will block your view of what they're doing. And of course that sounds good but I've always found that the curtain was in my face and bothered me terribly. They will also not allow you to have your hands below that curtain. Not only that but I can't imagine laying there for 15 minutes much less 90 minutes. Good luck to you and I hope that this procedure helps with your pain and that you recover completely.

  • fran2355
    fran2355 missfifi

    Posted

    Hello

    I had thr five weeks ago....my op was done urgently as I had necrosis and the femur was in a really bad way and I was in terrible pain.

    I had general anaesthetic although I did ask if spinal would be available and was told no...

    I'm really glad to be honest.

    Apart from a little discomfort I'm doing incredibly well and am now able to get around the house without my crutches which I've not been able to do for nearly a year!!

    I did try to push myself the first couple of weeks and suffered the consequences so I am now learning patience is the key word.

    Wishing you good luck with your op... You won't know yourself once it's done 😃

  • louise_48509
    louise_48509 missfifi

    Posted

    Hi, I had a knee replacement in September this year. I wasn't given the option so I was given a spinal. They also sedated me and all the others on the ward had the same. I was nervous because I didn't know what to expect. It was brilliant, never heard or felt a thing. I was wakened at the end. I'd definitely do the same thing next time. No grogginess, numb from waist down but that wasn't long in wearing off. Tea and toast when I got back to the ward and I had great patients and nurses. We all had such a laugh over the two days we were in. Good luck whatever you decide 😁

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